Gloucestershire's leading business people met at Renishaw today to discuss how to boost productivity - and tackle the growing skills crisis.

The summit at Renishaw's impressive Innovation Centre near Wotton-under-Edge was hosted by the University of Gloucestershire and also included representatives from GE Aviation, QuoLux and BPE Solicitors.

A series of talks from guest speakers from industry and business led up to a question-time panel exploring the challenges facing both the private and public sector in driving improvements in productivity.

The panel was chaired by Ian Mean, director of Gloucestershire Chamber, Business West.

He said: "In Gloucestershire we have two issues that are vital for our economy. One of them is skills - the lack of skills. The second is productivity.

"As a county we are eight per cent below the national average. We don't know the answer. That is why we are getting together."

Mr Mean added: ""It seems to me that leadership has a huge role to play in making people more productive. We also have to get the workforce more interested in working for employers. They have to get staff engaged."

Speakers included Stephen Marston, vice chancellor, University of Gloucestershire; Rob Loveday, strategy director, GE Aviation; Stewart Barnes, managing director, QuoLux and visiting fellow, University of Gloucestershire Business School; Malcolm Prowle, professor of performance management, University of Gloucestershire Business School; John Workman, senior partner corporate, BPE and Chris Pockett, head of communications, Renishaw.